Gamma Relations
by Michael Weyer
Summary: IC Phase 1. In the wake of Thanos' actions, mutants are coming to the limelight to shift up the world. Meanwhile, Bruce Banner gets a pair of blasts from his past, one good and one bad, which will shake his life up more. X-Men/MCU crossover
1. Chapter 1

**Gamma Relations**

 **By Michael Weyer**

 **This was kicking into my head for a bit and wanted to put it out, just a short tale set in the aftermath of my Infinity War story so it's worth reading that first. There will be tidbits here and there and it plays into my bigger challenge to myself: To integrate the X-Men world into the MCU. Hope you enjoy it, all comments welcomed.**

* * *

" _Mutants. They have been among us for some time yet it is only in recent years that we have become aware of them. Men and women with a genetic mutation in their DNA that gives them extra-ordinary abilities. It has been five months since the mass disappearance and then return of half the population of the planet. It is also when the rise of mutants have been marked more in the media with more coming into the limelight. Of course, one in particular has been notable, Professor Charles Xavier, our guest this evening. Welcome, Professor."_

" _Thank you, Anderson. I am happy to be able to come onto your show and try to dispel some of the misconceptions of the mutant community."_

" _Professor, you have been well known as a leading geneticist for some years with a private school in upstate New York. But shortly after the Mass Vanishing, you made it known you were a mutant yourself."_

" _I felt the time was right to finally be more myself. Many other mutants have felt the same. We are aware there has been confusion between ourselves and Inhumans but we are fully human, just…different."_

" _On that, you have not said your particular mutation…"_

" _And many others have done the same. Frankly, we do not wish to be judged by what we can do but what we are."_

" _You do understand, though, Professor that some of the world doesn't agree. There have been protests against many mutants and there seems to be, basically, a division. As in, between mutants who can look human and others whose appearances…"_

" _I am aware of those issues, Anderson. I am fully aware of mankind's tendency to fear what is different. But again, we have no wish to rule the world or wipe out humans. We simply wish to live our lives with the same rights as other people."_

" _With respect, Professor, most people are not capable of blowing up a building with a look or burning up a river. You must understand why many are fearful of mutants and why there is a bi-partisan push on Capitol Hill for a registration…"_

" _I am aware of that but I feel such a move will be horrific. We have seen time and again the effects of marginalizing an entire people and the disasters it leads to. I am aware that given the events of the last several months, the world is a dangerous place but this is a time to accept our differences, not be divided by them. I am hoping there are many who can see the same and work to accept us."_

" _It sounds like you have a dream of unity, Professor."_

" _Any dream worth having is a dream worth fighting for."_

* * *

Bruce Banner stroked his chin as he saw the interview on the television of the small diner in New York. He was naturally intrigued by this new rise in mutants and he knew he wasn't the only one. The Avengers had been busy in the last few months fixing much of the damage from Thanos' actions but the outbreak of mutants was something serious. The other Avengers had been chatting about it, most taking a "wait and see approach." He knew Steve was worried about the idea of the Avengers sent to track down some mutants and Bruce had to admit he wasn't pleased with that himself. That was for the future but at least now, he could try to make some moves to make in-roads with the mutant community.

As the door rang, Bruce looked over and smiled at the figure entering. He drew attention, not too tall with a very intelligent face dressed in a nice suit. What got attention was how he was completely blue from head to toe with fur over his entire body and his hands in claws. Despite that, he had a warm smile on his face as he waved to Bruce. "Bruce. It's been too long."

"Good to see you again, Hank." Bruce extended a hand to shake Hank McCoy's. The man nodded as they sat at a table. A waitress came over, doing her best not to look too wary as she licked her lips to Hank. "So, um, what can I get you?"

"Tea, please, Earl Gray," Hank stated.

"Lemonade," Bruce said. He shrugged at Hank's look. "Less caffeine the better for me."

Hank smiled. "It is good to see you again, Bruce. I know it's been…difficult."

"That's putting it mildly," Bruce said with a snort. "Then again, I'm not the only one who's changed since college."

Hank shrugged. "Secondary mutations have become common since the Great Vanishing. Perhaps what occurred caused it. In my case, it took an aspect that had been come and go in my youth and made it permanent." He smiled. "I make do. It does help with my agility although shedding on the furniture can be rough."

"Believe me, I can relate to a new and dangerous form," Bruce said. Their drinks arrived as they spent a few minutes chatting after ordering. Bruce had always liked Hank, one of the few men back in Harvard who could match Bruce in genius and discussing issues involving radiation and evolution. They had taken different paths after graduation with Bruce sorry they'd never kept in touch but it was good to catch up.

"So is this a social call, Bruce, or on behalf of your friends?" Hank was asking.

"A bit of both," Bruce admitted. "I know things are getting a little tense with mutants more public than ever. We just want to get a feel for how things are."

Hank sighed. "Bruce, I do trust you and the Avengers. However, we mutants have learned the hard way that being more open is not a good thing. I'm not sure how much you know but there is ample evidence of some secret government programs that have experimented on us. They have treated us as little more than lab rats."

"I wish I could say you're just being paranoid but I've been on the receiving end of that," Bruce had to admit. "As I said, we're trying to keep out of it for now but we are concerned about some forces maybe getting dangerous."

"Every group has its extremists, Bruce. Believe me, most of us just want to follow Xavier's teachings and live our lives in peace."

Bruce pursed his lips. "You know him, right?"

"I attended his private school, yes."

"I'm guessing the student body are…"

"That's their business, Bruce."

Bruce held up his hands. "Hank, I'm not trying to start a fight or get into things. We're just trying to stop any problems before they start."

"As are we, Bruce. I ask that you let us have that chance."

"Don't worry. Bruce is good with second chances." Both men started at the female voice as they looked up. Facing them was a woman Bruce's age, her hair long and dark and a smile on her attractive face. She was rather tall with a nice smile, wearing a light pair of slacks and jacket over a light blouse, her eyes twinkling with amusement at the startled Bruce.

"Jen?"

"Jen? That's all I get? You drop off the face of the Earth for years, show up as some huge monster turned hero without a phone call and I get my name?" She laughed as she hugged Bruce, a husky to her voice. "Good to see you, cuz!"

"You too." He waved a hand to Hank. "Hank McCoy, this is my cousin, Jennifer Walters."

Hank nodded as he extended his hand, a bit surprised at how eager Jen shook it. "Good to meet you."

"What are you doing here?" Bruce pressed. "I thought you were still working in California."

"Ah, got tired of the politics of the D.A.'s office," Jen said as she sat with them. "I figured a change of scenery was good and been wanting to open my own firm." She smiled to Bruce. "No need to ask what you've been up to, you've been in the news lately."

"I know, it's been a bit nuts…"

"Nuts? No, Bruce, nuts is handling cases in L.A. like claims of teenagers running around with a pet dinosaur. You're an entire nut factory."

Bruce rolled his eyes. "I can't believe you haven't changed so much."

"Ah, come on, you know you love it." Jen grinned at Hank. "I know, he's always been the wallflower, I was the more outgoing of the family."

"Bruce rarely talks about his."

"Ah, his wasn't…the best but I'd like to think I make up for it."

Bruce was smiling as another figure entered the diner. He was clad in a large coat over his stocky body, his hair in a strange bowl cut, of all things, with large and thick spectacles covering his face. Something about the face struck Bruce as familiar but he couldn't quite place it. He did, however, feel a bit nervous at the way he was looking them over. "Hank? You expecting company?"

Hank frowned as he followed Bruce's gaze to the man. "Wait…" he whispered. "That can't be…" As the man came forward, Hank straightened up. "Otto Octavius."

The man paused by the table. "Dr. McCoy," he stated in a calm voice. "It has been a while."

"Yes. The last I saw you was just before you got fired," Hank calmly stated.

Octavius snorted. "By a group of academic imbeciles who are too blinded to realize the genius I possess."

"They had enough understanding to know blowing up half a building in an unauthorized experiment wasn't good publicity. Or sound science."

"I warned them of what I needed and they refused it. It is not my fault they can't comprehend what I was attempting."

Bruce sighed. Even before he'd joined the Avengers, he'd run into quite a few guys who had a very haughty opinion of themselves and was not a fan by any means. He could already tell Octavius had an ego roughly the size of a city block and maybe even bigger. "If this is some sort of official complaint, I haven't been affiliated with any academic groups in some time."

"No, this is…business. I am going to have to ask you and Dr. McCoy to accompany me."

Hank raised a furry eyebrow. "That does not sound like much of a request."

"It's not." Octavius glared at him. "I would prefer this to be a calm affair, Dr. McCoy. I do respect the work of you and Dr. Banner, flawed as it may be. But suffice to say, if you refuse…it will not go well."

Bruce leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "If you know me as you say you do, Doctor…You'll know that making me upset is not a smart idea."

Octavius looked at him, then Hank while Jen was just glancing about. "Very well. I told them it was futile but…"

Bruce was rising up just as a screeching sound came through the air. He glanced up just as Octavius dodged to the side before an explosion ripped through the front of the diner. People were sent flying about as he instinctively ducked to push Jen and Hank back.

Octavius was hissing out as a pack of figures in yellow outfits with large helmets rushed in. "Idiots! What about this was subtle and sure?!"

Bruce was rising to his feet, about to trigger the change when one of the figures fired his gun at him. Bruce grunted as he felt the dart strike him in the neck. He was feeling at it just before a wave of lethargy sunk into his body. Before he could do much more, he slumped unconscious, not seeing the same darts fly into Bruce and Jennifer or feel himself dragged away.

* * *

The church was mostly abandoned in terms of service but still used for meetings of local groups. Such a case was today, although most of those gathered were hardly the type to attend a regular service. Many looked as normal as anyone else but others were not. One man had skin that made him look more like a toad; another appeared to be roughly 400 pounds of fat on a 100-pound body; a woman with bones sticking right out of her body was glaring about; a woman with a patch over one eye and punk hair was sharpening a knife; and more. Thus, for once, Wanda and Pietro Maximoff didn't feel at all out of place in a crowd.

"I still say they didn't need to send us," Pietro complained for the third time since they'd sat down. Wanda just rolled her eyes at him. "Really, Sam could have done this just as well. It's because of how we got our powers, that's it…"

"Pietro, I know having to sit still is torture for you but try to keep a low profile," Wanda stated. "We are to find out what these people are up to in case it becomes a concern."

Pietro sighed. "I don't like it. It doesn't feel right to think them suspicious because of being mutants."

Wanda pursed her lips. "I tend to agree. I suppose it's better it's us than the government or SHIELD."

Pietro was about to reply when they saw a man taking the stage. The buzz of the crowd quieted down as he held up his hands. "Hi, I'm Jeremy. Thank you all for coming. I know it's been tough the last few months but I wanted to get this group together to discuss how to handle the growing situation."

"What's to handle?' the woman with the eye-patch spoke up. "They're gonna come after us!" Some yells of support to her statement echoed as Jeremy shook his head.

"No one is coming after us, Calisto. I know you like to live in the sewers but you have to know that. Right now, they're discussing measures for us and…."

"Measures?" A red-haired man scoffed. "I spent twenty years with that company, a good place in the suburbs, friends, neighbors, all of it. Then I reveal how I just happen to turn rocks into lead and I get fired, foreclosed on and turned against!" Several murmurs of others with similar stories echoed. "They're not gonna accept us, Jeremy. They're going to try and get rid of us."

"He's right!" Callisto yelled out. "How long before they start throwing us into camps?"

"Look, they are just debating," Jeremy stated. "Come on, no one is talking about camps or extermination."

"Oh, they never _talk_ about it. They just go right out and do it."

All heads turned to the back as a man who looked in his middle ages slowly stepped forward. He was clad in a dark suit, his hair nearly white but his face stronger than his age would indicate. He walked forward in the steady pace of a man used to taking charge and everyone had to feel it. Behind him were two people. One was a gorgeous woman with blue skin, basically naked except for scales about her body, her red hair dark and her bright yellow eyes gleaming. Next to her was a young man with blonde hair and a sneer on his face dressed in black. They were obvious in their loyalty to the white-haired man as he continued to speak.

"They do talk about it. They've been talking about it for years, you just haven't heard it. You all just sit there, blissfully living your lives out, ignoring the signs, telling yourselves it can never happen and this will pass." He moved to take his place on the stage. "Until one day when the air is still and the night has fallen…they come for you. And it's only when you're thrown into the camps that you realize the extermination has already begun."

"Excuse me-" Jeremy tried to speak up but the man cut him off.

"And it won't hit you until they've burned their mark on your body." The man pulled up his arm to let everyone see a set of number tattooed onto his wrist. "Make no mistake, my brothers and sisters, this _will_ happen. We are a unifying force for humans. White or black, liberal or conservative, whatever their ethnic origins…they fear us. They fear that we are the future. And they are right. We are homo superior and they will do anything to try and stop us from rising to our proper place. They will fear us. They will use us. And then they will attempt to destroy us."

He looked about the crowd who were enthralled by his words. "The war is coming, my people. And the only question is, when it arrives…who will you stand with?"

"Who are you?" one person from the crowd called out.

The smallest smile came to the man's lips. "I am Magneto. Remember that name well if you wish to survive." With that, he walked off the stage, the two people following him as the crowd buzzed.

Wanda and Pietro exchanged looks before moving to follow the trio. "You talk a dangerous game," Wanda called out.

The blonde haired man held up his hand and a ball of fire flashed in it. "Back off."

"Easy, Pyro," Magneto stated as he turned to face Wanda. "I merely talk the truth, my dear. I'm sorry if it makes you uncomfortable."

"You make it sound like all of humanity is against mutants," Wanda snapped. "We know many who are not."

"Right, the Avengers." Pyro snorted. "Pretty easy for you two to look down from a literal ivory tower and think things are going great."

"You two can walk down the street in your natural form with no problem," the blue-skinned woman added. A shimmer came over her body and Wanda and Pietro both jerked back in surprise to see an exact mirror image of Wanda standing before them. "I could do the same," the woman said in a pitch-perfect imitation of Wanda's voice. Another shimmer and she was back to her regular self. "But if I was to be myself, I'd have a mob after me."

"It is the same for many of us," Magneto stated. "Which is why we are going to have to fight for our survival."

"We used to follow a figure talking about fighting humanity for a better world," Pietro noted. "It did not end very well for him."

Magneto smirked. "You two are young and have not faced what I have."

"We've both been dead," Wanda noted.

"Believe me, my dear…there are worse fates. I know this. I have seen it." He looked them both over carefully. "The conflict will come. It's only a matter of time. You call yourselves Avengers? There will be much to avenge for our people when this begins. So be sure you know which side you will be on."

"We are not mutants," Wanda stated.

"Really?" Magneto smiled. "Are you sure of that?"

Pietro was frowning as a beeping sound echoed. He and Wanda both looked to the small devices on their belts and shared nods. Pietro looked to Magneto. "There's nothing in this country against talking your mind…"

"Not yet."

"But be aware, we're going to be watching. So make sure you don't step out of line." With that, Pietro took Wanda in his arms and in a blur, they were gone.

Magneto was looking at the spot they'd left, his face now set in concentration. "What is it, Erik?" the blue-skinned woman asked.

"I am not sure, Raven. Something about them…" he shrugged. "A question for another time."

"You think the Avengers are going to be trouble?" Pyro asked as they walked out of the building. As they did, Raven transformed into a lovely blonde-haired and light-skinned figure in a nice dress.

"In time, perhaps," Magneto stated. "Which is why we will ensure our numbers grow before we make our move." He looked to Pyro. "I fully understand the fire of youth but be sure, my boy…When we strike, the world shall know it."

* * *

Bruce groaned as he slowly pulled his head up. He tried to move only to realize he couldn't. It took him a few moments to realize he was strapped down to a table in some sort of high-tech lab. He glanced about, seeing Octavius at a console with various other figures about. Some were clad in those yellow uniforms while others had rifles at the ready. Octavius was overseeing some consoles, now wearing a complex metallic harness. Attached to it were a set of four metallic tentacles, carefully weaving about to adjust various boards, doing the work of at least two men at once.

Looking to his left, Bruce saw Hank also struggling against the bonds strapped across his wrists, legs and main torso. He looked to his right to see Jen slowly waking up, also shackled although not as securely. He looked to Octavius and grunted. "What the hell is this?"

"Merely preparations, Doctor," Octavius said, almost distracted as he continued his work.

Bruce glared as he prepared to change…and blinked. "Wait…I can't…" He grunted as he tried to summon up the Hulk but for once the creature inside him was silent.

"I wouldn't bother, Doctor," a strong voice echoed through the lab. "Your better half is taking a nice long nap." Into the room strode a figure clad in an orange and black jumpsuit. His skin was as green as the Hulk's, his face marked by a pencil-thin mustache on his lips. His head was bald and roughly the size of a large basketball, the sinews of his brain clear pulsing against his skin. He smirked at the startled trio. "A little concoction of my own design, made to suppress him well."

Bruce was confused at how familiar the voice was. He cocked his head, taking in the figure, trying to see why he looked…

His eyes widened as it hit him. " _Sterns_? Good God, man, what happened to you?!"

The figure grinned. "You're not the only one who saw changes thanks to gamma radiation, Banner."

"Um, friend of yours, Bruce?" Jen asked.

"This is Samuel Sterns," Bruce said, still thrown by the sight of the man. "He was a scientist I ran into doing research into gamma radiation. I went to him for help trying to find a cure for the Hulk but he ended up selling me out to the military. He helped Blonsky turn into the Abomination."

"During which, I was exposed to some unique gamma blood myself," Sterns explained. "It changed me into the opposite of you. Whereas you gained brawn, I gained brain. My I.Q. is beyond most tests and cataloguing. My genius is unsurpassed."

"And your mouth is annoying as hell," Jen snapped.

Sterns smirked at her. "I am beyond your childish insults, woman. I am beyond more humans. You may now call me…the Leader."

"Oh, brother," Bruce muttered. "That radiation must have driven you insane."

The Leader glared at him. "Do not insult my sanity, doctor."

"Hey, don't knock it, it's a perfectly good defense," Jen stated. "You can use it after you get hauled to the nuthouse."

The Leader shook his head. "As usual, the pitifully small minds of normal people cannot comprehend a new wave of thinking."

"Let me guess," Hank spoke up. "You are going to take the idea that because you are so above us, you have the right to rule us."

The Leader shrugged. "You've seen the mess this planet is in, Doctor McCoy. They need someone to guide them. To choose for them. To lead them into a proper future."

"With you deciding how they live," Bruce guessed. He snorted. "All that genius and you're deciding to become just a two-bit dictator. So much for great intellect meaning great wisdom, Sterns."

Sterns glared again before moving to the nearby console. "No doubt, you're wondering why you are here."

"I'm going to go out on a limb and guess it's my blood," Bruce stated.

The Leader nodded. "Indeed. Your control over your Hulk side is very intriguing to me, Doctor. The way you not only survived the gamma radiation but let it thrive within you is quite rare. Now finding a way to transfer that…That is very fascinating."

"Gamma radiation transfer?" Hank shook his head. "You can't do that, the radiation would be too much for someone to take."

"He's right," Bruce pressed. "Hell, my surviving was a one in a million shot."

"Sometimes, that's all it takes." The trio of captives looked up as another figure strode into the room. He was a tall man clad in a black suit with a complex metallic cape flowing behind him, the ends flowing into spikes with matching gauntlets on his arms. His face was utterly white with red eyes lacking pupils and what looked like a red diamond in the center of his forehead.

"Allow me to introduce my associate," the Leader said with a wave of his hand. "Nathaniel Essex."

"Or as I prefer," the man said in a cool voice. "Mr. Sinister."

Jen actually let out a laugh. "Seriously? We've been kidnapped by what sounds like a reject from some Japanese super-hero show?"

Hank was staring at the newcomer with curiosity. "Essex…I recognize the name. Late 19th century geneticist, ahead of his time in many ways with his theories. Any relation?"

Sinister smiled. "The same man." Hank actually didn't look too shocked at that, having met a few mutants with long life spans. "My vision was held back by the lack of technology then. But today…I have enough at last to help my experiments."

"He and I found common ground," the Leader went on. "We each are quite interested in mutants and Inhumans as well as what they can say to evolution." He waved to Octavius. "Dr. Octavius was in need of some aid as well and fits into our group nicely."

"I am not a subordinate, Sterns," Octavius snapped from his place by the consoles. "Whatever you plan with your research is your business. I am interested in how I can use the results to boost my own theories in gamma radiation and power."

"What's your plan, Sterns?" Bruce pressed.

"Quite simply, Doctor, to replicate your accident into others." The Leader smiled. "Think of it. Thousands of Hulks spread across the world. Still in possession of their mental faculties although subservient to myself."

"A small army of genetically engineered beings," Sinister added. "The insight I could gain can aid my own studies into mutation. I could even find a way to use the gamma radiation to splice mutants and Inhumans together and forge a new race!"

"And from there conquer the world in your own image," Jen stated.

"Precisely."

"That or check into the nearest psycho ward, whichever comes first, I guess…."

Bruce snorted. "I already told you, me surviving that accident was a million to one chance. What are you going to do? Kill a few million people just to get a couple more Hulks?"

The Leader shrugged. "You have to start somewhere."

Bruce, Hank and Jen all stared in horror as they realized he was dead serious. "You're insane," Jen whispered, meaning it this time.

The Leader smiled. "Oh, you'd best be hoping I'm not, my dear. As you are going to be our first test subject."

Bruce jerked upward. "If you hurt her…"

"Pain will be inevitable," the Leader stated. "But it's how you gain in the long run." He made a motion as Octavius moved his arms about, twisting some knobs and levers. Bruce and Hank felt their tables moving off to the side, leaving Jen's by itself. Another knob turned to allow a large object that resembled a dish on a robotic arm to lower from the ceiling.

Bruce was struggling, doing all he could to break the bonds around him and summon the Hulk. Hank was trying as well but it was just as futile. To her credit, Jen wasn't looking panicked but setting her jaw to glare at the Leader as he moved to the console himself. "You better hope this kills me or I am slamming you idiots with so many lawsuits…"

The Leader chuckled as he adjusted the device. "Such fire." He looked to the other captives. "We took the liberty of taking blood samples from you both when you were unconscious. Sinister has been quite busy mixing mutant and gamma blood together and we're quite confident the results will be interesting."

"Dammit, you'll kill her!" Hank snarled, looking more like a beast than a man.

The Leader shrugged. "Every great step in science involves sacrifice, Doctor McCoy." He hit the main button and a blast of green energy ripped out of the dish to strike Jennifer. Her scream was matched only by Bruce's as the Leader and Sinister grinned in the light of the transformation.

* * *

 **So had planned a one-chapter but it got a bit more than I expected. Thus, next time has the Avengers finding out what's what and the rescue with some turns.**

 **For "fan-casting" if you want to know who to imagine:**

 **Jennifer: Angie Harmon who I have contended would be perfect for the part for years (and the right age to match the Ruffalo Hulk)**

 **The Leader: If they can recast Bruce, they can for Sterns so imagine Mark Strong.**

 **Sinister: I truly think Hugh Laurie could pull it off nicely with his dark wit.**

 **Otto Octavius: Bryan Cranston. If anyone can pull off a nerdy scientist turned ruthless criminal, it's Walter White.**

 **And I'd be going for the first trilogy of X-Men actors here (Kelsey Grammer was a perfect Beast). Hope you enjoy, all comments welcomed.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Gamma Relations**

 **By Michael Weyer**

* * *

Wanda and Pietro entered the main meeting room of Avengers Tower to find the rest of the team already assembled. "How is it you speedsters always tend to be late for things?" Spider-Man spoke up. "I was halfway across town and I got here first!"

"We were delayed," Pietro snapped.

"We can talk about that later," Steve stated, all business as usual. "We've got a serious situation." He nodded to Tony, who activated his wrist device to allow a holographic screen to appear above the round central table. It showed video footage from what appeared to be several street cameras showing a group of men hustling out of a café, carrying a trio of limp forms.

"An hour ago, Bruce was kidnapped," Steve explained.

"Someone kidnapped the Hulk?" Pietro scoffed. "Who should we be sending the condolence cards to?"

"Not just him." Tony paused the video and zoomed it in on the blue-furred figure carried by two men. "Hank McCoy, genetics genius. Met him a few times before he went all Papa Smurf, good sense of humor and sharp understanding of genetics. Bruce had said he was going to connect with him to talk on mutant matters. It looks like it didn't end well."

"Who's the woman?" Sam Wilson asked.

"Jennifer Walters." Everyone looked to Natasha, who had her arms crossed. "She's Bruce's cousin, met her once, a lawyer from L.A."

Tony frowned. "Bruce never told me about her."

"That you actually find that odd speaks volumes."

Jane Foster rubbed her chin. It still seemed odd to see her in the garb of an Asgardian warrior with Mjlonir at her hip. Thor stood with her, having recently changed to a new uniform himself with a darker set to his armor and a shorter red cape, more chain male along his legs and his upper arms bare. "It looks like Bruce was the target and McCoy and Walters were just along for the ride."

"Any leads?" Carol Danvers asked.

"As it happens, yes," the Vision spoke up. He nodded to a figure leading the attackers with another screen highlighting his face. Spider-Man's eyes opened wide. "Hey, I know that guy! Otto Octavius!"

"Indeed," the Vision noted. "A leading pioneer in genetics and radiation."

Peter nodded. "I did a report on him last year. He developed these metal arms to use handling dangerous materials, pretty smart guy. But something happened and he got fired and then vanished."

"According to records, he was caught doing illegal experimentation at his college," the Vision stated. "It should be noted that the man who turned him in was Hank McCoy."

Tony nodded slowly. "So Otto's got a beef and Bruce is Bruce. That's not a good combo."

"Any idea where to start looking?" Wanda asked.

"Whoever did this shut down the tracker I had put in Bruce's ID card," Tony stated. "However, Bruce helped me come up with a scanner just in case he went off the grid again. Even when he's in a calm mode, he puts out a trail of gamma radiation so if you know how to track it, you can find him." He tapped his wrist device to show a small glow from a warehouse near the docks. "Looks like we got it pinpointed."

Cap looked to the others. "Suit up. We scope it out first, then we hit."

"Should we wait for everyone else?" Sam asked, noting the absences."

Cap shook his head. "T'Challa is busy in Wakanda and Scott and Hope have a mission on their own. The sooner we get Bruce, the better."

They all nodded and began moving off. Wanda and Pietro moved to Cap. "Captain," Wanda began. "The meeting we checked out took a turn."

Cap frowned as he continued. "A man appeared, calling himself Magneto. He began stirring things up with talk of fighting against humans before they strike mutants."

"He had two followers," Quicksilver added. "One controlled flame and the other could change her shape."

That got Carol's attention. "Shape-shifter?"

Pietro nodded. "She made herself into a copy of Wanda so exact, I would have been fooled."

Carol looked to Tony. "You'd better upgrade your security. Trust me, I've run into a few shape-shifters who can cause major problems."

Tony sighed. "Pepper's gonna love that." He paused to think. "Then again, if I can get her to look like Pepper…"

Brushing him off, Cap looked to the twins. "We'll have to continue to keep an eye out. For now, Bruce is our priority."

They nodded as they moved to join the others and Steve sighed as he realized once more how complicated this modern world was.

* * *

It took about twenty minutes for the team to gather roughly two blocks away from the warehouse. Naturally, Quicksilver was waiting with that smug smile. "I took a quick look," he explained. "About a dozen guards on the outside doing patrols and spotted some cameras. I'd be nothing but a blur if they caught anything but sure they've got the place better wired."

Tony accessed his armor's sensors and nodded. "Yep. Motion detectors and infa-red. Whoever's behind this has some serious power."

"How do we play it?" Spider-Man stated. "I could try sneaking in, my sense would warn me about any dangers."

Cap rubbed his chin. He trusted Peter but obviously was unsure of sending a kid into danger like this. Seeing his worry, Carol spoke up. "He does seem the best bet right now, Cap."

Cap nodded. "All right. He and I go in first with Vision, try to access the lower levels."

"Ugh, the sewers?"

Cap went on. "The rest of you wait for our signal to go in. Falcon, Thor and Jane…"

"She really needs a code name," Spider-Man interrupted. "Lady Thor? Thorina? Hammer Gal?"

Jane rolled her eyes as Cap continued. "You'll take out the exterior guards, the rest in with us. We hit them fast and try to stop this before it gets out of hand."

"Has that ever actually worked?" Carol asked.

"There's always a first time."

* * *

Bruce had never been this angry without being able to call on "the other guy." Jennifer had stopped screaming, at least, but was slumped on the table, heaving for breath as the ray finally finished. Sterns, Sinister and Octavius were studying the nearby readouts as if not even caring about the agony Jennifer was going through. "Jen?" Bruce called out. "You hear me?"

Jen moaned softly as she looked at him. Bruce was struck by the green shimmer in her eyes. "Next time…I call…ahead…"

"We're seeing metasizing of cells," Octavius noted. "But not at the rates we wanted."

"Increase power by five percent," Sinister suggested.

"It might be fatal."

"It won't." The Leader moved to adjust the device. "I created this after all."

Hank was glaring at Octavius. "I knew you were egotistical and daring, Octavius. But I never dreamed you'd do something so monstrous."

"Science is sacrifice, Doctor McCoy," Octavius answered.

"Indeed," the Leader smiled. "And knowledge is power."

"God, that's a crap saying," Bruce muttered. "Trust me, I've been in places enough to know that a lot of folks with knowledge have no understanding of power. It's wisdom that counts and however much you brag about your intellect, you obviously don't have the wisdom to handle it."

The Leader scoffed. "I am beyond your petty philosophies, Banner. And once my new race of Hulks is created, you will be superfluous to my plans."

Bruce rolled his eyes. "I preferred you when you were just an obnoxious punk."

"Evolution has its quirks," Sinister remarked. "Speaking of which, I get these touches to our guest downstairs…The results should be most intriguing."

The Leader nodded as he once more activated the ray to cause another round of screaming.

* * *

Steve Rogers had a lot of experience breaking into hidden facilities. He'd learned a simple rule a long time ago: They never think to guard the sewer entrances.

Once more, he was proven right as he, Spider-Man and the Vision carefully made their way through the hallways of the lower level of the warehouse. It turned out to be bigger than expected, a large area with several rooms clearly having been constructed recently. Spider-Man held up a hand as the other two paused. Cap and Vision moved quickly to the side, Vision phasing through a wall while Peter just leapt up onto the ceiling. A pair of men in lab coats passed by, talking to each other in low tones before heading down a corridor.

The trio gathered with Peter nodding to the camera at the other end of the hall above a doorway. "The play?"

"Fast," Cap noted. Nodding, Spider-Man fired a quick ball of web to cover the camera lens. At the same time, Cap and Vision charged in, bursting through the doors. A few technicians were in the laboratory, jumping in surprise at their arrival. There were also a few guards who instantly opened up fire with their machine guns. Cap held up his shield to deflect them as the Vision knocked another back before phasing through the bullets fired at him.

Spider-Man leapt over, using his webbing to stick the shoes of the scientists to the ground. "Stay low so you don't get lead poisoning!" he yelled out. They ducked as Spider-Man grabbed one soldier and yanked him off his feet. "What is this place!"

"Somewhere muties belong!" one guard snarled as he fired a burst.

"Hey, hey, what's the deal?" Spider-Man yelled as he dodged the attack. "I'm not a mutant! Not that there's anything wrong with that! Although there is something wrong with doing twenty year old lines from _Seinfeld_ so if you want to kill me for that, I understand!"

Captain America hurled his shield to knock a guard back. He hit a large cage as Cap shook his head. "This looks all too sadly familiar," he muttered. He pushed it aside to punch another guard down, a second firing a burst from his rifle.

Spider-Man grunted as he avoided the shots, the bullets flying at the cage behind him. They sparked as the lock was broken off. Spider-Man moved to quickly web up the attacker and then move back on the attack.

"Oh, no," one of the scientists whispered as he saw the cage door start to open. "He's loose…Oh, dear God _, he's loose_!"

A low growling sound cut through the air as Spider-Man turned, his sense going off. He saw the door pushed off as a figure slowly stepped out and into the light. He wore a complex headset of some sort, clad only in dark shorts. He was of short stature yet something about the way he was glaring at the suddenly nervous guards made Peter straighten up. The figure glared at them all before clenching his fists.

 _ **SNIKT**_

* * *

"Sir!" A technician ran into the main lab. "We've got intruders in the lower labs!"

Bruce smiled. "I think my friends just showed up. Give up now and you'll save yourself a very nasty headache."

The Leader just smirked as he hit a button. "Deploying countermeasures."

Octavius frowned. "We should get going."

"Patience, Doctor," the Leader said as he looked to Jen, whose skin was taking on a green tint. "If this works as I predict…and my calculations are infallible…then the Avengers are going to have a lot more to worry about."

* * *

"You have got to be kidding me."

That was Captain Marvel's reaction to the sight of nearly fifty brightly pink humanoid creatures rushing out of the doorway to the lab. They had no faces, clearly not truly alive yet it was hard to tell what else they were. Automatically, she fired off a blast of energy to knock one back. The figure fell down but slowly rose up, not seeming the mind the gaping hole in its chest.

"All right, whatever they are, they're tough but not alive!" Carol called out. "Which means no holding back!"

In a blur, Quicksilver was running, slamming fists against several of the figures in unison. Behind him, Wanda was using her own powers, sending one flying back into a wall while another was torn apart. She was thrown to see its limbs still trying to move about despite being severed from the body.

The Falcon flew upward, using his wings to give him an advantage as he fired his own guns off. War Machine was with him, firing rockets and his machine guns to blast down several of the humanoids. Thor and Jane were using their weapons to create bursts of lightning around. Jane slammed her hammer down to send a dozen of the creatures flying about.

"Oooh, nice strike!" Carol called out.

"Strike…" Jane mused. "Thunderstrike." She smiled. "I think that works." She swung her hammer to knock another back. Natasha was firing her pistols as Iron Man flew in, knocking a half dozen creatures back.

* * *

"Looks like your security force is lacking," Hank dryly noted as he looked at the screens showing the battle outside.

The Leader shrugged. "They're easy to make, quite loyal but obviously still some kinks to work out."

Octavius moved away from his console. "Sterns, this has gone far enough. We can't wait any longer, we need to leave!"

Sinister pursed his lips. "I'm inclined to agree. The Avengers are a risk we're not fully prepared for."

The Leader shook his giant head. "Both of you fail to understand, once the process is complete…"

The door to the lab burst open in a huge explosion. Everyone looked over as a pair of armored figures stepped through it. The guards opened up their machine guns which did nothing. "Just out of curiosity," Iron man called out. "What was the play? I mean, you really think we wouldn't find Bruce by now? Or that those overgrown action figures would keep us down?"

"No but delaying you is enough," the Leader snapped. He had a hand over a button. "If you make one more move, Banner and McCoy will be hit with enough electrical power to light up a Times Square billboard."

Widow and Marvel had joined the other two as behind them, the rest of the team were still dealing with the pink creatures. "You've got one chance," Marvel called out. "Give it up now or we're shutting you down."

The Leader put his hand right on the button, clearly prepared to press. "Don't do it, guys!" Bruce called out. "I've survived worse!"

"I haven't so I would be grateful to avoid it," Hank had to add.

Sinister smirked at the group. "This will go quite easily if we just calm down. All we require is a head start and-"

A loud howling came across the lab. Heads turned as Spider-Man raced in, ducking over a table. "Coming through!" he yelled.

Sinister was about to yell at the guards to shoot him when the other figure burst in. His eyes widened as he took in the short man with what appeared to be three razor-sharp knives sticking between the knuckles of each hand. "He's loose…He's loose, kill him!"

A trio of guards opened up with their machine guns. The man charged in, not even seeming to notice the bullets tearing into his skin. He slashed out with his guns, cutting one of the rifles in half. He then stabbed them into the gunman while slashing out with the other hand, the knives raking the face of another soldier. He screamed in agony as he fell to the ground, allowing this Logan to stab both fists into the other.

Natasha whispered a Russian curse. " _Росомаха_."

The man was charging about and the distraction was all the Avengers needed to move. Carol blasted her bolts at the Leader to knock him away from his console. She moved in to grab him by the neck. "Okay, just give it up now and…"

The Leader grabbed her right back, his hands at her temples. His eyes flashed green and Carol gasped out before her eyes took on the same glow. She turned her head to glare right over at Iron Man and War Machine. "Oh, hell, not again," was all Tony got out before Captain Marvel flew to tackle them both out of the lab.

Tony hissed as he felt Carol blast at him. Thor turned to see them, instantly figuring what was happening. He and Jane exchanged nods to launch blasts of lightning at Marvel. She twisted about in the air to avoid them but that left her open for Quicksilver to run up the side of the warehouse, then leap off to attack her with a punch. He landed onto a handy pile of humanoids as War Machine fired a barrage of missiles at her. Again, Captain Marvel avoided them, firing off a shot but that left her open for Mjlonir to smash into her jaw and knock her back.

Jane caught it as she looked to Thor. "I thought Tony was being overtly paranoid insisting we figure out ways to fight each other. It would appear he was right."

"I know. I hate admitting Stark is right too."

"I heard that!"

The Leader smiled and moved to the device. "Time for the main event!" He hit the button to unleash another blast of gamma energy, larger than the others to strike Jennifer full on.

Jen let out a scream of agony as she shook hard. Her skin began to darken, shifting into a bright green color. Her hair matched it just as green as her body bulged, muscles blossoming about. Her height grew a few inches as well, pressing against the metallic bonds around her. They groaned as if trying to fight her but finally shattered as Jen pulled to her feet. Her clothes were torn but hanging on as she glared at the scientists with utter fury.

"Oh my stars and garters," Hank whispered.

The Leader's face was a grin of pure joy as he shut the ray off. "Yes…yes, it worked!'

"Jen?" Bruce whispered. For the first time, he finally knew what it felt like for people to see himself when he transformed.

The Leader grinned as he stood before her, his arms held out. "You are the first, Jennifer! The first of my army. The first to change the world!" He spun around, pointing at the Avengers. "And your first task for your Leader is to annihilate them!"

A meaty hand clutched around his throat and Sterns gasped as he was lifted up. He found himself turned around and getting a close-up look at a very upset woman whose eyes were gleaming in a way he found very uncomfortable. "Buddy," she hissed in a growling tone. "On the list of people I listen to, you fall between Howard Stern and Nickelback."

Looking at her eyes, the supreme genius of the Leader could say only one thing. "Oh, crap."

Jennifer smashed his face into a nearby console, then into a table. She then punched him twice in the face, smashed him against a table and finally tossed him hard into a wall. The Leader was motionless for a moment before slowly slinking down to the ground, a very hard indention left in the wall where he'd struck.

"Now I see the family resemblance," Spider-Man intoned.

"Dammit," Natasha cursed. She moved before Jen holding up her hands. "Okay, Jen? Listen to me….listen…You need to calm down….Focus…I'm a friend…Friends are good."

"Nat, I know who you are and if you want me to be calm, stop talking to me like a three-year old."

Natasha blinked in surprise to hear Jen's voice, deeper but still quite clearly her, speaking. Unlike Bruce, it appeared Jennifer still had her full mental faculties when she transformed.

"Oh, boy," Spider-Man muttered. "We've now got a She-Hulk." He was busy avoiding the metallic arms of Octavius, the man cursing. "Stand still, you insect!"

"Spiders aren't insects! Seriously, you've got how many degrees that you have to know that?" Peter avoided a sweeping blow of an arm. "I really am feeling a let-down here, Otto. I did a report on you, got a good grade to boot! Now, you're going Walter White? Just goes to show, never meet your heroes!"

Octavius snarled as he sent two arms flying outward at Spider-Man. He ducked to let them strike a nearby console attached to the generator powering the ray device. The buzz cut through Peter's head too late as he looked over. "Octavius, look out!" he called out but it was too late. The console sparked and then erupted into an explosion directed right at the scientist. He barely had time to scream before he was sent flying out, his skin darkened by the explosion.

Peter raced over, wincing as he saw how the metallic harness looked fused to the man's body, cursing himself at not being able to help.

Jen was moving to the nearby tables holding Bruce and Hank. She grabbed at Hank's restraints, grunting as she pulled before they tore away in her hands. Jen was surprised at what she did as she managed to get Hank out of them. Hank saw a guard rising up from a table a few feet away. He leapt forward, bounding easily to knock the man back. He swept out his hand to smack another one away with amazing strength, then leapt upward to the ceiling to avoid a rifle blast from another. He flipped in mid-air to knock the man off his feet and punch him out.

Bruce was staring in wonder as Jen freed him. "I thought you didn't enjoy fighting."

"I don't," Hank responded. "But as Gandhi said, if the only choice is cowardice or violence, I must choose violence."

The claw-handed man had been ignoring all this, slicing his way through every guard he could as well as one unlucky lab tech. Sinister had been heading to the exit but the man tackled him down, stabbing him in the back. The wound seemed to heal quickly while the man hit again and again, the claws stabbing Sinister across the chest and face. The man gasped out, the wounds healing but the clawed man still going at it.

A whistling cut through the air as Captain America's shield struck the man in the back of the head. It was a blow that would knock a man unconscious yet the stranger simply whirled, his face tight. Cap caught it as he stepped forward. "Logan!" he called out. "That's enough!"

The man stared at him, slowly calming down. "Rogers?" he grunted. "That really you?"

Steve nodded back. "It is. And it's you as well." He looked Logan over and shook his head. "You haven't changed a bit since 1944."

"Yeah….Kinda a long story."

"That…old?" Sinister grunted. "Had I known…my experiments…"

"Shaddup!" Logan jammed his claws into the man's throat, cutting his speech off. He stood up, letting the claws still shine. The Vision had appeared, phasing through the floor. "I have freed the other prisoners below," he spoke up. "They are in need of medical care but it does not appear too serious."

The other Avengers entered the lab, Carol rubbing her head. "Sorry," she was telling Tony. "I couldn't help myself."

"Ah, at least you have an excuse. Most of the time I have no idea why folks want to kill me."

"Really? You don't?"

Iron Man ignored her as he looked around the area. "Looks like we missed some fun." He saw Jennifer, his eyes lighting up. "Hi there, I'm Tony-"

"No!" Bruce yelled at him.

Natasha was coming forward, looking over Logan. "Logan."

He smiled. "Tasha…Been a while, darlin'."

She smiled back in a way that spoke volumes to everyone. "Friend of yours?" Rhodey asked.

Cap nodded. "James Howlett or Logan as he went by when I knew him. He was with the Canadian forces in World War II and helped the Howlers out on some missions." He looked Logan over, noting the claws. "Dum Dum always cracked you had some deal going to keep surviving."

Logan shrugged. "Didn't help me when these bastards nailed me last week in Calgary."

Hank looked to the Vision. "You said others downstairs?'

The Vision nodded. "A dozen in all. They appear to be mutants, used for experimentation." He frowned. "I…also found what appears to be the remains of a half dozen others."

Cap looked down at Sinister, noting the man's throat was already healed. "You're going to pay for that, mister."

Sinister just glared out as Spidey coughed. "Um, we need to get some help for Octavius here."

"And, I know it's sort of low on the list," Jennifer spoke up as she leaned against Bruce. "But could someone find me a new set of clothes?"

* * *

It took a few hours to settle the entire issue down. SHIELD arrived to take Sinister and Sterns into custody, both wrapped from head to toe in restraints and under heavy guard. Octavius was transported to a nearby hospital while Hank had called in a friend by the name of Jean Grey to oversee the mutant captives. The team had gathered back at the Tower where Logan and Jennifer had both been given full check-ups. In the main meeting room, a communication screen to Wakanda allowed T'Challa to share the results of them.

"Adamantium." Tony shook his head staring at the screen which showed several scans of Logan's skeleton. "I can't believe someone has gotten it developed to this degree."

"Is it like vibranium?" Steve asked.

On the screen, T'Challa shook his head. "No. They are similar but adamantium is even stronger than some of our objects. It is in liquid form but once hardened, it can make nearly anything indestructible."

"How the hell did someone put that on his skeleton?" Natasha asked.

"More importantly, how'd he survive?" Carol inserted.

"That would be his mutation," Hank spoke up. He tapped a finger to a side screen to show some readouts. "Logan has what is without a doubt the most advanced healing factor I've ever seen. It allows him to nearly instantly recover from any wound, poison or injury and can even regrow his flesh back."

"Plus, the claws," Tony inserted.

Steve shook his head. "No, he had those already although they were bone back then. That explains how he kept coming back from almost any attack without a scratch on him."

"It also slows down his aging," Hank added. "Which is why he can still look almost the same from World War II."

"Damn, how old is this guy?" Carol asked.

"Ain't sure myself." Everyone turned to see Logan stepping into the room, pulling back on a shirt. "My memory has a few patches here and there. Hell, it took seeing Rogers to remember more about World War II." He pulled a cigar out of his pocket and lit it. "By the by, yer gonna need some new restraints on the scanning table. Sorry, but got issues tied down in a lab."

"This is a non-smoking building," Tony stated. Logan just gave him a hard look and Tony decided not to press the issue.

"I'm grateful for the help," Logan said and seemed to mean it. "But I gotta get going."

"Wait." Hank moved over, pulling a card from his pocket. "Here. You said you had memory problems? This man can help."

Logan shook his head. "I'm not a guy who can be helped. Not after my life."

"You were a man who risked his life to save an entire camp of prisoners back in the war," Steve spoke up. "That can't have changed too much."

"A lot of me has."

"Professor Xavier has experience with that sort," Hank pressed. "And maybe can offer you something besides just running."

Logan looked at the card before taking it. "I owe ya, so I'll at least see him. No promises." He gave the rest a nod before marching out of the room.

Tony looked to Steve. "For a minute there, I was worried you were going to offer him a spot."

"Not yet." Steve looked to Hank. "However, Dr. McCoy…."

Hank raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"You're smart, capable, good in a fight…"

"I'm not going to insult you by saying this is your reasoning…But you must be aware that as soon as you announce it, I'll be labeled the token mutant."

Steve sighed. "I won't lie, that is a factor. But because you can give us insight to a world many of us don't understand. The world is changing and we need to handle that. What do you say?"

Hank mused over it and then slowly nodded. "I accept."

"All right!" Spider-Man called out. "Oh, oh, I got the perfect name!" He waved his hands out. "The Beast!"

Tony rubbed his temples. "That Cisco guy was way too much an influence on you."

"Come on, I missed Jane figuring out her own name!"

* * *

Jennifer was flexing a 200 pound weight in one hand and shaking her head. "It's so light…" She was sitting in the main lab, now clad in a tight suit designed to fit her body. She flexed the weight again, marveling at her new strength.

"Yeah, it can be…tricky." Bruce was looking at her, a solemn expression on his face. Jennifer frowned at him. "What?'

Bruce sighed. "We got the readouts. The gamma doses you took were extreme, almost as much as mine. Sterns did alter it a bit which is probably why you still retain your intellect and personality so well. However, the radiation has bonded to your cells in a permanent way. To try and reset it would be a huge overload on your system, no way it could be done without massive genetic engineering that's beyond us…"

"Bruce," Jen cut in. "Skip the science talk and tell me."

"Jen." Bruce took a deep breath. "You'll never be able to turn human again."

His cousin stared at him…and shrugged. "So?'

Bruce blinked. "What?"

She laughed. "Bruce…come on, look at me! I love this! The power, the looks, it's incredible! So I have to go around with green skin, so what? In L.A., I'd barely get a second look on that!" She smiled. "I want to help people, Bruce. I did it with the law but I can do it here too."

Bruce raised an eyebrow. "You want to join the Avengers?"

"Have you seen the rates for a legal office in New York lately? I could use an extra stipend to push me along."

Bruce smiled. "It's a bit wilder than it seems."

"I'm L.A., I'm used to it." Jennifer grinned. "Now how's about we work on getting that other guy out? I'm interested in finally paying you back for that summer camp thing."

"Oh, for…It was an accident!"

"Two months to grow my hair back, Bruce…"

"I warned you about the beakers!"

"Be careful is not a warning!"

"Be careful is exactly a warning!"

* * *

Peter was about to leave when he heard his name called. Turning, he saw Tony coming up, the man looking serious. "Pete. We may have a problem." He pulled up a pad and showed a video. Peter frowned as he saw what looked like security footage of a hospital. As Peter watched, a guard and then a doctor were thrown across a hall. Octavius stepped into view, his metal arms flaying about as nurses and doctors ducked for cover. He made his way to a wall, the arms grabbing at it then pulling to rip it away. They then moved forward to allow Octavius to climb out.

"Wait, he still had the arms?" Peter blurted.

"The doctor's report was that the explosion fused them to his body," Tony explained. "They were planning surgery but he woke up first. My guess is, the mental connection to them has grown."

"Yikes," Peter winced. "Guy looks like some psycho octopus…" He frowned. "Huh, Doc Ock…"

"Please stop that," Tony half-begged. "Just needed to give you a heads-up. According to witness, he was screaming about you."

Peter sighed. "Great. I've got my own arch-nemesis now." He shook his head as he headed to the elevator. "Thanks for the warning, Tony but I've got to get home or Ock is the least of my worries."

Tony nodded as he walked out.

* * *

The man stared out the window at the New York skyline. He appeared calm but the suited figure before his desk knew that could change in an instant. "So we lost everything?" he said in a cool voice.

The man nodded. "I'm afraid so, sir. SHIELD has taken over the site and their latest purge of HYDRA sleepers also included some of the people we had inside. Plus, the Avengers have taken charge of some of the elements we found inside." He licked his lips. "How do we proceed?"

The man looked at the city and sighed. "Getting that genetic information from Sinister and Sterns would have been valuable. It was a key reason I helped supply and fund their operations. But it looks like we'll just have to write it off." He glanced at the man in the reflection in the window. "You're certain they will have nothing to implicate me in, Jensen?"

Jensen shook his head. "Nothing, sir. The money trail was well hidden and the psychological reports indicate neither is the type to admit they required help from anyone to do their work. Also, the only accountant who might have given evidence…is no longer available."

"Yes, such a tragic car accident." The tiniest smile came to the man's lips. "Ah, well, we'll have to go to Site B then. Ensure this one stays more under the radar with people who can be far more low key. I made a mistake assuming Sterns and Essex would have the intellect and reason not to get the Avengers on our trail." He returned his gaze to the city. "And make sure to keep an eye on that Spider-fellow. I'm still convinced he has the key I can use to unlock the power to rule this city."

"Yes, sir."

"And Jensen? No more screw-ups or you know the consequences."

"Yes, sir. I do. Good evening, Mr. Osborn."

* * *

 **So that finishes this tale as we get Beast and She-Hulk on the team. And the hints of another dark player as well as the arrival of an iconic Spider-Man foe. It may be done but of course, more to come in this post-"Infinity Crisis" world.**


End file.
